NYT article 2000 about Penelas and recount.

[madfloridian]

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/01/politics/01DADE.html?ex=1086926400&en=22469bcddd9e0968&ei=5070&pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=e15542e22d190da8&ex=1086753600

SNIP from page 2:
"The whole community is very suspicious of what happened surrounding the decision to close down the recount," said Representative Carrie P. Meek, a Democrat from Miami-Dade County. "People are suspect. Wouldn't you be if there were 10,700 votes that were not counted?"

The Democrats clearly believed Mr. Penelas was an ally and they attribute his inaction at the critical moment to his ties to Republican politicians here, including Representatives Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen — who led Mr. Bush's attack on the Florida recounts.

An associate of the mayor said Mr. Penelas was considering becoming a Republican, and seriously considering a run for Congress in a Hispanic- dominated district that might result from reapportionment in 2002."

SNIP..."Politicians on both sides here say Mr. Penelas was subjected to the most intensive lobbying efforts.

Raul Martinez, the Democratic mayor of Hialeah, said he spoke with Mr. Penelas shortly after the recount was halted. "He sounded like he was under pressure," Mr. Martinez said today. "He sounded scared." END SNIP

[Justice]

1. Interesting

I have no issue with Gore questioning Penelas. I just think Gore's comments would be more effective he had not endorsed his opponent.

[BayCityProgressive]

2. I

hope Castor gets it over Penis. He would eb just another corporate controlled Dem.

[madfloridian]

3. He did not endorse him, did he? Not officially.

I have not seen that.

[TSIAS]

15. No

I haven't seen him endorse Deutch. However, Penelas supports suggest it's being done on his behalf. Castor definitely isn't behind it. The only question is whether Deutch is responsible.

[Cheneys_former_heart]

4. Good find

I don't trust Pinalles, If he wouldn't step up when it really counted why is any Democrat supporting him?

[fujiyama]

5. I posted the link in the thread about Gore's statement

It's a good article. Being that I didn't remember the details during the recount and I don't know much about FL politics, it revealed quite a bit about Panelas. He does seem like a tracherous bastard.

That said, I'm not sure if Gore's statement necessarily helps the situation any. Intercine warfare rarely is helpful within a party. Panelas is still a democrat that has endorsed Kerry...and if Panelas has any sway over voters in the Miami Cuban community, I wouldn't want these voters alienated enough to not vote on election day.

We need all the votes we can get in such a crucial state with such important races -- twenty seven electoral votes and a must keep senate seat.

Gore has a right to support and/or endorse whichever candidate he wanted in the FL senate primaries. However, he might have considered doing it in a different way.

[madfloridian]

6. I don't think Gore is doing it to split the party.

I think he has the right to point out things.

There was an article from 2003 where he was interviewed, saying he might have something to say about Penelas. I saw it here yesterday, but I can't find it.

I had saved this to my computer ages ago, but I am going to have to find a better XP search. I may get the paid version of PowerDesk. The free works fairly well, though.

We can not let Miami control everything anymore. We just have to fight. Central Florida is quite populated as well, and we have to be considered as well.

[OpSomBlood]

10. Hate to break it to you...Orlando is Bush Country big time.

n/t

[madfloridian]

7. This is an interesting part:

SNIP..."But the Democrats believe that the board was under obvious political pressure. And Mr. Gore called Mr. Penelas later that day in hopes that the canvassing board could be turned around. It must have been a difficult call for the vice president, who was trying to invite Mr. Penelas back into the party's embrace.

Not long ago, Democrats considered Mr. Penelas to be one of Mr. Gore's most enthusiastic Florida supporters. Mr. Penelas was briefly considered a potential running mate for Mr. Gore."

And another paragraph:
SNIP..."Late on Nov. 21, Al Cardenas, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party, spoke by telephone with Herman Echevarria, a close political adviser and confidant to Mr. Penelas. In an interview today, Mr. Echevarria, a registered Republican who is a media consultant whose clients include the Republican Party, said he spoke often with Mr. Cardenas, including a late-night conversation on Tuesday. But Mr. Echevarria denied that any of the conversations involved a bid to cancel the recount or the protest organization efforts...."

[Ani Yun Wiya]

8. Thank you for posting this!

This points in the direction of what I think happened in 2000.

There just had to be some form of collusion between *+crew and someone thought to be a "democrat".

I am still trying to understand how 62 of 67 counties can certify a set of numbers for their counties and that the State DOE actually certified an entirely different set of numbers for those same counties.

And NONE of the totals from any source agree with each other?

[loudsue]

9. The point of this whole thing is.....

Look at some of the so-called "Dems" that helped sabotage Gore. LePore (wasn't that her name? The so-called Dem woman who created the famous butter-fly ballot? ) comes to mind. She had formerly been a registered republican, but when the ballot issue blew up, the repukes were able to say "But that ballot was created by a Dem!" And Penelas is another.

There's an old saying among warriors: "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer!"

That's what has happened to the right-wing warriors in the Dem party: they are staying very close to their enemies... like Al Gore, who actually cares about "the people" over corporate rule. Many of the right wing DLC Dems DON'T really support "the people". They get into offices of importance and/or power, and then destroy the strength of the party from within the party....like screwing Gore, and hence the rest of us....during the 2000 election.

Al Gore is just not so dysfunctional as a "politician" that he will refrain from calling attention to the White Elephant in the Room, rather than let it slide under the rug. What he did was gutsy, and needs to be done by more of the folks from the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party!



:kick::kick:

[madfloridian]

11. Yeh! Good rant.

I agree.
:hi:

:bounce:

[loudsue]

12. Thanks, mad!

I'm getting really riled up lately over all of these turn-coats in our party, and I'm really glad some of our more outspoken populist-leaning Dem leaders are stepping up to the plate!

:kick:

[madfloridian]

13. You're welcome!

Me, too, getting tired of it.

[madfloridian]

14. Is Susan MacManus the one saying Gore's comments spell trouble?

If so, I hope folks will remember she is a Republican, was chair last year of the Florida Elections Commission, and at the very same time about the only commentator used by our local news. A little conflict there, I think. A wee tad partisan. If this is where we are getting all the comments about dividing the party, then best beware.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/08/national/08penelas.html
SNIP..."Noting that Mr. Graham usually stays out of such squabbles, Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida, said his comments signaled the potential damage that Mr. Gore's statement could cause the Democratic Party here. The party has been criticized within and without for being disorganized in the wake of the 2000 election.

"This is not the publicity they need at a time when the Republicans are becoming more cohesive," Ms. MacManus said. "Once Senator Graham steps in, you know it's serious."

In particular, Ms. MacManus said, the Democrats need as many Hispanic votes as possible to win in Florida. Most Cubans here already vote Republican, and Mr. Gore's comments could turn even more Cubans against the Democrats, she said....."